Sawatch

Avalanche

Rich Rogers · Oct 21, 2019 · Sawatch

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Weather

Overcast/snowing but felt calm at TH. Obscure, increase snowfall w/ elev, winds increased w/elev, light-mod blowing snow NTL.

Snowpack

15-35cm NTL, tested small cornice, stubborn, soft slab forming at break overs NTL. Footprints, 15-20cm deep, almost filled in after approx. 1.5-2hrs of time since set. Other open faces observed during breaks in clouds revealed shallow snow coverage and drifts just leeward from ridges ATL.

Avalanche

no current activity. A large avalanche(D3.5-4) from the march cycle ran on a SSE aspect. Presumably started ATL on ridge to the NNW from Hartenstein Lake. Debris extended 150-200 ft out across lake. Few standing mature trees left near flanks show flagging almost full height of tree. One mature tree knocked over with rootball mainly intact that still contained soil in-between roots. photos to come